Stagnant farm cash receipts against significant increases in feed, fuel and interest costs have led to Canada’s biggest decline in realized net farm income in over a decade. That’s according to Statistics Canada, which on Tuesday released full-year farm income data for 2018, pegging realized net farm income for the year at $3.9 billion, down […] Read more
Canada’s realized net farm income way down in 2018
Input Capital steps back from mortgage expansion plans
Up against the current canola market, “commodity streaming” firm Input Capital has put off plans to ramp up its mortgage business with canola growers. The publicly traded Regina company in February announced a “comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value” and said it was in “an ongoing search for appropriate scalable sources of […] Read more
Canada vows ‘full steam ahead’ on ratifying trade pact
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will move quickly to ratify the new North American trade pact, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Saturday, a day after the United States agreed to lift tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. U.S. President Donald Trump had imposed the global “Section 232” tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and […] Read more
West Edmonton MLA named Alberta ag critic
An Edmonton Realtor turned provincial MLA is Alberta’s new official opposition critic for agriculture and forestry. Rachel Notley, leader of the province’s opposition New Democrats, on Monday announced her shadow cabinet and named Lorne Dach, MLA for Edmonton-McClung, as the party’s ag critic. Dach came to the legislature in the 2015 election with a political […] Read more
Grow facilities now required up front for new cannabis producers
Growers and processors seeking federal licenses to produce and/or process cannabis in Canada will now have to have their proposed sites “fully built” before they even apply. Health Canada announced Wednesday that the change takes effect immediately, saying it would better line up the cannabis sector with the approach the department already follows for approvals […] Read more
Hemp acres expected to double due to crop versatility
MarketsFarm — Canada’s hemp acres are set to double in 2019, according to the most recent principal field crop acreage report from Statistics Canada. The hemp industry is experiencing somewhat of a boom as hemp products of all stripes enter mainstream consumer markets. “Health Canada is running at least double the number of hemp license […] Read more
Aurora Cannabis to buy up all of processor Hempco
Edmonton cannabis company Aurora Cannabis is set to buy up the balance it doesn’t already own in hemp processing firm Hempco Food and Fiber. Aurora announced Tuesday it will pay $1.04 a share for the remaining shares of Vancouver-based Hempco, which makes and sells Planet Hemp hemp-based foods and Praise hemp-based supplements for dogs and […] Read more
Ontario chamber makes recommendations to boost cannabis sector
Reuters –The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) on Thursday made several recommendations that address issues affecting the province’s booming marijuana industry, including having a common excise stamp to help cannabis makers ship their products smoothly. The industry body also recommended bolstering Health Canada, the country’s health regulator, so that it can issue licenses to facilities […] Read more
Farm groups see something for everyone in federal budget
Response so far from farm and agribusiness organizations to Tuesday’s pre-election budget suggests the federal government has managed to find at least one line item for everyone in the ag sector. Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s budget pledges compensation for supply-managed sectors facing financial hits from international trade pacts, funding for a new federal food policy […] Read more
CNH begins 3D-printing spare parts
In a twist on the idea of ordering parts online, the parent firm for New Holland and Case IH is trying out the use of 3D printing to make plastic — and eventually metal — spare parts. British-based equipment manufacturing giant CNH Industrial said Monday it has already produced its first 3D-printed spare parts, making […] Read more
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